Rangefinder Magazine
June 2006

Business Institute by Charmaine Beleele
 

In search of an inspiring new recipe for success in my studio, I caught up with marketing guru Mitche Graf at the second an- nual WPPI Business Institute. Designed for photographers, the Business Institute consists of a full day of classes and two evening sessions. Best of all, the Business Institute does not clash with the schedule of WPPI classes; it is scheduled on the day before they open. Last year there were 197 participants, and this year there were over 340 photographers who registered for these business crash courses. Mitche explained the electricity in the air: “Skip Cohen and I brainstormed ideas for this Business Institute, and we determined that the classes would be taught by a faculty of speakers that were the best of the best, both in their photographic specialties and in their business acumen.”

More excitement was added by Blossom Publishing, who offered a rich prize package for the outstand- ing overall marketing program. Busi- ness guru John Hartman, a first-time speaker for WPPI, pictured the harsh commercial realities behind profes- sional photography. “Our business has an incredibly large turnover. One third of the next 20,000 photogra- phers who open their businesses will not be able to survive financially for a year. Programs such as this one prevent this from happening to new professionals.” Then he added, “At the same time, we can clarify new business techniques to help seasoned professionals take their business to the next level or move the part-timer into a serious enterprise.”

“One-third of the next 20,000 photographers who open their businesses will not be able to survive financially for a year. Programs such as this one prevent this from happening to new professionals.”

On stage, Larry Peters, an undisputed maestro of high school senior photography, taught us how to “make a game of our sales, make it fun.” Because of him, I learned many ways to transform my lowly price list into an awesome sales partner. We also discov- ered that many of us need to squelch our discount store mental- ity. Most importantly, I learned that some of my tendencies to price my art too low were only making my family pay for my addiction to photography.

I am not alone in my affliction. Mellany Miller, of Palm Springs, CA, confessed that she had actually lost two weddings she wanted because her prices were too reasonable. Larry Peters introduced me to new worlds of incentive selling and order bonuses. For me, his comments alone paid for my trip. Greg Stangl cooked up an inspiring “chicken soup” using 25 techniques for his ingredients. He was our frugal gourmet, proving that “some of the best mar- keting ideas are the least expensive.”

Bambi Cantrell gave the closing presentation. You might imagine that after five marketing, sales and business procedure classes, the Business Institute students would be bleary-eyed, numb and totally satiated with their bowls of business chicken soup. Not at all! Bambi reinvigorated the group with her pas- sionate commitment to the art of the wedding. She infused them with an appetite for marketing matrimony in ways they had never considered. My classmate, Tobi Bratcher, said, “Bambi encouraged me to learn posing from store displays, magazines and TV ads.

Study them.” She was also encour- aged by Bambi’s website advice. Tobi paraphrased, saying, “I’m going to put up something different, interest- ing, shocking and provocative. I will use images that elicit emotion or use wacky colors. People will remember that, instead of the wedding party standing at the altar in the church. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. You have three sec- onds to make that impression on your website.” Personally, Bambi taught this writer-photographer that, like Gucci or Chanel, I did not want my clients to be thinking logically when they shopped with me! I wanted them to be buying from their emotional response to my images.

Noting my enthusiasm, Mitche explained that mentors like Bambi Cantrell, Larry Peters, Vicki Taufer and the rest of the Business Institute faculty, as well as Blossom Publishing’s new Marketing Buzz Award, “prove that this profession is not just about making prints anymore. Success belongs to people who are doing great jobs in marketing, sales, business procedures and packaging.” Then, raising an eyebrow, he grinned, “Of course it is still your responsibility to capture the ‘wow’ images!” No doubt that the Business Institute is a chef’s kitchen for the chicken soup of business. You can bet this photographer will be in there next year, cooking up a new image for her studio and seasoning it with the latest in sales and marketing techniques.

Like our “Top Chef” Skip Cohen has said, “You could be creating the finest images in the world, but it won’t mean a thing if you can’t sell them!”